June i, 1886] 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURI.'^'^ 



«55 



$oiTi3spnnilence. 



To the Editor of l/i,- " Cciilon Ohsn-t'tr" 



FALLING OFF IN CEYLON TEAS IN THE 

 LONDON MAKKET. 



2, Great Tower Street, London, 22nd April 1880. 



Dkak Sir., — Wlien those of jour readers interested 

 in Ceylon Tea are no tloubt picturing to themselves 

 a glowing future for that article, it may seem 

 rather ungracious, at hrst sight, to hint at the 

 possibility of their hopes not being realized. We 

 think, however, as wishing to be the true friends 

 of planters, it is impossible to shut one's eyes 

 to the fact that the majority of recent arrivals 

 is not what it used to be, and by your permission, 

 we should like to call the serious attention of 

 managers of estates to this fact. 



The falling-o£f in cjuality may not be so conspicuous 

 in shipments coming later, as in those made after tlie 

 prunings, which have come to hand during the past 

 few weeks. We ho]ie this may be so. But at pre- 

 sent there appears some danger of Ceylon tea not 

 maintaining the high place it has won in public 

 esteem. Complaints reach us of many of the teas 

 being burnt, thin in cup, and lacking the richness 

 for which they are justly prized. We would urge 

 upon planters not to go on the principle of "rest 

 and be thankful." It does not do in these times 

 of lierce competition. India will increase hev out- 

 turn this year as well as Ceylon, while, despise 

 China as some people will, we do not yet know 

 what she is capable of when driven to tight for 

 the existence of her tea trade. These circumstances 

 combined point to a large increase in the total 

 supply, and consequently to the probability of a 

 lower general average than has hitherto been ob- 

 tajned for all tea. Ceylon need not fear, how- 

 ever, if she can send us teas like those which 

 first made a name for her produce — rich, good 

 liquoring, and free from burntness. If planters 

 would try how their own teas drink, we think they 

 might easily remedy many of the defects referred to. 

 —We are, dear sir, yours faithfully, 



GEO. WHITE & Co. 



GERMINATION OF LONG-KEPT SEEDS. 



Nawalapitiya, 10th May 188f;. 



Deai! .Sin,— In December 187'.l I received some 

 seeds of the Alhizzia moluccaua from .Java, and 

 at the time sowed some of it which are now fine 

 large trees. Finding some of the same seed, which 

 has been in my desk drawer since 18711, a few 

 days ago. Out of curiosity to see if it would ger- 

 minate after being kept .50 long, I last week 

 treated the seed with hot water and put it in a 

 bo.\ of mould, and to my surprise this morning I 

 see several of the seeds have germinated. 



It may be of some interest to your readers to 

 know how long the seed of some trees will keep 

 good and perhaps they will be good enough to 

 give their experience — Vours faithfully, 



V. W. NEATE. 



RIVAL TEA MACHINES AND THE PLANTING 



COMMUNITY. 



Colombo Iron Works, Colombo, l.Uli May Ikhi;. 



Dkaii Sins,— We always read your articles by 



;' Peppercorn." They are usually more or less 



instructive— always amusing -but the writer \n 



last night's article lia., clearly gut beynud his depth 



wbeu writint on the bubject of tea machinery 



"Peppercorn" hints that "such a firm as Messrs. 

 Walker it Co." should have a showroom where 

 all the ditTerent tea machines could be exhibited 

 as they are brought out; but will he get the 

 owners of the different machines to see it in llio 

 same light? If so let him introduce them to us 

 and we will be ready to treat with them for the 

 exhibition of their machines. 



The following remarks by " Peppercorn" arc 

 simply absurd:— "Of those who sell not one seems 

 to be free; all appear to be bound down to sell 

 or expose for sale one particular make or the 

 machines of one particular maker." 



So far as we are ourselves concerned 

 these statements are not correct. Besides Jackson's 

 machines, (and until we find something better we 

 shall give them the preference over all others 

 where our opinion is asked), we have several 

 machines belonging to other patentees. Last week 

 we had the pleasure of selling a Gore's " Sifter" 

 and »here is always one of these machines on 

 view at our place. Two mouths ago we turned 

 out (i of Gilruth's "Packers." Two days ago we 

 accepted the agency for a new machine called 

 Parry's " Tea Press" of which full particulars 

 will be advertised in due course, as we do not 

 wish (like some of your correspondents, Mr. Editor), 

 to get an advertisement cheap under cover of a 

 letter. 



Finally we arc at the present moment in cor- 

 respondence with the patentees of two Tea Rollers 

 regarding the manufacture of their machines by us. 



In deciding whether we will take up any new 

 machine the following points guide us : — 



(1) Is the machine really one of utility and 

 likely to be in demand ? 



(2) Will its out-turn be creditable to us as 

 manufacturers ? 



(3) Is it clear of all existing patents ? 



(4) Will it pay? 



Give us these points and we will make any 

 machine " Peppercorn " can put in our way. We 

 trust, we have now written enough to show that 

 the above remarks from the "Gup" to which we 

 have specially drawn attention, are not applicable 

 at any rate to JOHN WALKER & Co. 



ON HORSE SHOEING IN CEYLON. 

 Deau Sib,— J wish to enlist your interest on 

 behalf of our faithful servants, our horses, and to 

 point out to you some of the faults committed by 

 the artizans to whom are entrusted the shoeing. 

 Horse-shoeing as a rule gets very little attention 

 paid to It, and yet, unless the propellers are sound, 

 the general health is of little service. The subject 

 of shoeing meets with a great deal of prejudice, 

 and the farriers attribute anything that goes wrong 

 in the animal economy, to everything but the evil 

 results of their own work, and in this country it is 

 very difficult to explain to the native workman 

 why one method is good and another bad. Of course 

 there are many good, and intelligent farriers, and 

 this letter will not apply to them. I will now i^roceed 

 to detail the process of shoeing carried on in forges 

 to which this letter docs apply, and afterwards point 

 out to you, dear sir, wherein the faults occur. 



Our horse requires shoeing. - The old shoes afo 

 taken off, the farrier takes his knife, and ijarcs 

 n way the solo of the foot quite thiii, and hollow, then 

 slices the frog into a small neat shape, and oiipms 

 out the bars, near the heels, to give the foot a nice 

 wide appearance.— He then shapes a shoe and 

 when cold applies it to the foot with six nails- 

 but the edges of the liorn project all around the iron' 

 so he rai.p.. tlit- horn, and the nail clenches at the 

 •same time, nice and even, to the dimeneione oi 



